New York is only 1.5 hours away they said, you could go there every weekend they said...
What no one told me was that trying to drive into the city at any time of the day could take as long as 5 hours. So after making that same mistake of driving in countless times, tomorrow morning I'm boarding a train and doing it the smart way.
I've got some business to take care of in the city and I've got a bit of shopping to do for Vinney's birthday later this month, so the train will work just fine. I recently had my first North American train experience; we took the train down to Newark to fly out to IDF last month, and man was that so much better than flying.
Flying these days is more than just a pain, I've forgotten how easy it used to be - but then I took the train. Nothing is better than riding a train, sure you get to where you're going a lot slower but you just hop on. There's no baggage check, there are no people boarding out of order and taking up all of the luggage space, and there's no silly hour long wait at the train station. Everything just works. You get there a few minutes before your train and hop on. You sit down, you've got an AC plug at your seat and you don't have to worry about shutting off your electronics during takeoff and landing of course.
I can't say that security is the tightest at these train stations, and maybe they will eventually get to the point of being as troublesome as airports but until then I will enjoy their ease of use.
The USB Flash Drive roundup has been coming along well, the testing is all complete and there are a few interesting things that I've uncovered during the process. I'm working with a few of the manufacturers to resolve some issues and shed some light on others, so hopefully in the end it'll mean a better review and better products for everyone.
Take care
What no one told me was that trying to drive into the city at any time of the day could take as long as 5 hours. So after making that same mistake of driving in countless times, tomorrow morning I'm boarding a train and doing it the smart way.
I've got some business to take care of in the city and I've got a bit of shopping to do for Vinney's birthday later this month, so the train will work just fine. I recently had my first North American train experience; we took the train down to Newark to fly out to IDF last month, and man was that so much better than flying.
Flying these days is more than just a pain, I've forgotten how easy it used to be - but then I took the train. Nothing is better than riding a train, sure you get to where you're going a lot slower but you just hop on. There's no baggage check, there are no people boarding out of order and taking up all of the luggage space, and there's no silly hour long wait at the train station. Everything just works. You get there a few minutes before your train and hop on. You sit down, you've got an AC plug at your seat and you don't have to worry about shutting off your electronics during takeoff and landing of course.
I can't say that security is the tightest at these train stations, and maybe they will eventually get to the point of being as troublesome as airports but until then I will enjoy their ease of use.
The USB Flash Drive roundup has been coming along well, the testing is all complete and there are a few interesting things that I've uncovered during the process. I'm working with a few of the manufacturers to resolve some issues and shed some light on others, so hopefully in the end it'll mean a better review and better products for everyone.
Take care
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GhandiInstinct - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - link
I'm going to be taking a bullet train to Seattle from here in Chicago, I hate planes in general so I believe trains are the best transportation source in the world, I can't wait for flying trains like in Back to the Future.creathir - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - link
Bullet train from Chicago to Seattle? On Amtrak???- Creathir
KristopherKubicki - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - link
How long does the train take from Chicago to the West coast?Kristopher
creathir - Thursday, September 15, 2005 - link
Well, Amtrak's site says the Empire Builder (Chicago to Seattle) takes 46 hours and 5 minutes...Now that is for $125, one way (9/30/05 departure).
Expedia.com has the same departure and start and end, for $133 on Frontier Airlines. But the flight only lasts 5 hours and 50 minutes. (Connect in Denver)
I think I'll stick with the airplanes... The trains may be the way to get around the busy northeast, but out in the rest of the country (97% of it at least) everything is just spread out too far. Unless its for the experience, I say stick with the planes.
- Creathir
GhandiInstinct - Thursday, September 15, 2005 - link
but...but...but...wouldn't it be more fun? With more space, more of a luxurious enviornment? Personal cabin? Better sleep? C'mon!!creathir - Monday, September 19, 2005 - link
Thats for a cheapass coach seat (on Amtrak and the plane)No thanks...
- Creathir
Furen - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - link
Amtrak is horrible... so very slow.GhandiInstinct - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - link
Amtrak is the only one?crimson117 - Wednesday, September 14, 2005 - link
Pretty much. It's subsidized by the federal government, and owns or exclusively leases the rails and the land the rails sit on.